EPA

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has today issued Forestry Corporation of NSW with a Stop Work Order to cease tree harvesting at Wild Cattle Creek State Forest inland from Coffs Harbour because at least two protected giant trees have been felled. No mention has so far been made of the always present danger of releasing new zoonoses into the human population when habitat is destroyed.

EPA Executive Director Regulatory Operations Carmen Dwyer said EPA investigations into operations in Compartments 32, 33 and 34 of the forest had revealed serious alleged breaches of the rules that govern native forestry operations, set out in the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA), in relation to the protection of trees that must not be felled.

We do need an Animal Justice Party NOW! Our kangaroos are dying of fluoride poisoning apparently from dust levels from a brick factory at Craigieburn and the Alcoa aluminium smelting plant near Portland. DSE was informed of the problem in 2008 and the EPA was told in 2005, but signs of fluoride-related symptoms in kangaroos were noted as early as 2001. DSE's wildlife statistics are unreliable and the EPA is known as a toothless tiger, but how many of us would have thought there was enough fluoride dust out there to kill herds of kangaroos? And where does that put humans, especially children?